POULTRY. 141 



and feathers. Breeds that are so readily changed will soon run 

 out unless care is constantly taken to improve them, by weed- 

 ing out the poorest and keeping the best with care. 



THE PARTS OF A FOWL. Since all have the same origin 

 we may expect that they will all have some characteristics in 

 common. The general form is the same. Fig. 76 gives us 

 the names of the various parts. 



VARIETIES. In some varieties, such as the Cochins, the 

 Langshans, and the Brahmas, the feathers extend down the 

 outside of the legs or shanks. From this fact we sometimes 

 have the fowls divided into the two classes, the smooth-legged 

 and the feather-legged. The different breeds are further sub- 

 divided according to the color of their plumage ; thus we have 

 Dark Brahmas and Light Brahmas ; also Black, Buff, White 

 and Partridge Cochins. Another mode of classing fowls is 

 into laying varieties and sitting varieties. Sometimes they are 

 classed according to the country or region from which they 

 have been derived, as Asiatics, Mediterraneans, Americans. 



CHARACTERISTICS. Common fowls have four toes, three in 

 front and one to the rear. They are not web-footed, there- 

 fore we conclude they are fitted by nature for hard dry soil. 

 What is the use of the web foot in ducks and geese ? The 

 toes have sharp strong nails for scratching. From this we 

 notice that they should be supplied with a dry run where they 

 can scratch and exercise themselves and their young broods. 

 Fowls take their young to seek for food and birds bring food 

 to their young in the nest. They need plenty of sunlight, as we 

 may conclude from watching chickens basking in the sunshine. 

 How do fowls drink water? Have they teeth? What is the 

 use of the crop in fowls ? 



As to food we have only to remember what the fowls 

 require food for to conclude that they need plenty of rich food. 

 They are constantly growing feathers which are rich in nitro- 

 gen, their flesh is principally lean meat, their eggs are what we 



